


Of One Mind

by There_Once_Was_A_Girl



Series: Samwell Soulmates [3]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Soulmates, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 17:17:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8541913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/There_Once_Was_A_Girl/pseuds/There_Once_Was_A_Girl
Summary: Adam is seven when he first hears the voice in his head. Adam Birkholtz and Justin Oluransi have known each other since they were seven and five respectively. They are soulmates, and their soul-connection lets them speak telepathically if they just focus. Despite that, it takes them years to actually meet, and a bit longer to figure out what being soulmates means to them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Y'all!! I told you I would post something this weekend! Well I told some of you anyway. So here is some ridiculously fluffy Holsom. I tried to throw some conflict and plot in there for you but these two love each other so much that they make it hard for me. 
> 
> As always, everything belongs to the wonderful Ngozi

Adam is seven when he first hears the voice in his head. It sounds like a boy praying. ‘Please, please, all I want is a puppy.’ 

Holster is startled. He might be young but he knows hearing voices is a bad thing. 

‘Hello?’ He thinks, focusing on where that voice had come from. What comes back isn’t words as much as fear and something like screaming. 

‘Hey, calm down!’ Adam thinks sternly. ‘You are there right? You aren’t just me?’

‘Who are you?!’ The other boy is still scared. Adam tries to answer with his name but he knows instantly that it doesn’t work. He tries again, thinking “Adam Birkholtz” as hard as he can. The other boy has clearly not heard him. 

‘I don’t think I can tell you.’ He answers at last. He remembers what his teacher had taught them all last week in class. ‘I think we might be soulmates.’ 

‘What?’ 

‘My teacher told us about it last week. She said your soul connection never appears before you’re five years old, but they can wait until you’re really old too. Sometimes people can communicate, but they can never say each other’s names before they meet.’ 

‘I am five.’ The other boy answers. Adam is surprised by that. His soulmate is young, but he sounds smart for a five year old. Adam can hear the hopefulness in his voice when he says his age, like he sees Adam’s logic and is hoping he’s right. 

‘Oh, I’m seven.’ Adam answers. ‘We should ask our parents about this.’ He adds, because he is seven and hearing voices was scary even if it was just a five year old boy who might be his soulmate. 

‘Good idea.’ The other boy agrees. Adam runs off to find his mom.

It takes a few days and a visit to a doctor who studies soul-connections, in order to verify it, but eventually everyone agrees that Adam is not crazy, the voice in his head is just his soulmate. His soulmate tells Adam that he’s gone through the same ordeal. Adam feels a little guilty about putting him through that, after all, he is only five. He is the same age as one of Adam’s younger sisters, who are five, and three. His mom is pregnant with another little sister for him. Adam loves his little sisters and he is very protective of them. He immediately adds his soulmate to the list of people he needs to protect. 

‘What should I call you?’ His soulmate asks, once they’ve determined that they are not insane. Adam thinks about it for a long time. He thinks about his first name, his last name, how he could change them enough that he could get away with it. Finally he answers. 

‘Holster, call me Holster. It comes from my last name, which I can’t tell you.’

‘Awesome!’ his soulmate answers. ‘Holster, cool. You can call me Ransom then.’ He says excitedly. 

‘Cool, nice to meet you, Ransom.’ Adam answers, grinning to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Justin is ten years old he calls himself Ransom in his head. It’s hard not to when it’s what Holster calls him all the time. They talk constantly. Ransom has gotten really good at holding a conversation with Holster and whoever happens to be around actually talking to him at the same time. He doesn’t really remember what it was like not to have Holster in his head. 

‘Hey, Rans, what’re you up to?’ Holster asks, as if he can tell Ransom is thinking about him. (He cannot, they have confirmed this, they had spent a few years testing the limits of when they could hear each other). 

‘Not much.’ he answers. ‘It’s snowing here.’ He adds. 

‘It’s not even Thanksgiving!’ Holster protests. ‘How is it already that cold?! Canada must suck.’

‘Shut up! Canada is great, and besides, our Thanksgiving was a while ago.’ Ransom points out, smiling. Holster laughs. It had taken them a while to make sure the other could hear when they laughed too. These days it was easy though. 

‘Sorry, sorry’ Holster says. ‘I know when Canadian Thanksgiving is, don’t worry.’ He adds. 

‘I know, Holst.’ Ransom agrees. Holster knows everything about him. 

‘Is it pretty?’ Holster asks. ‘The snow?’ 

‘Yeah,’ Ransom agrees, ‘It really is. I wish you could be here, we could play in it together.’ He says.

‘Someday.’ Holster answers. ‘We’ll meet each other someday. But we shouldn’t try to rush it right? That’s what everyone says, they say you always meet your soulmate eventually, and you just have to wait.’

‘I know.’ Ransom agrees. ‘But I was thinking… what if we went to college together. I mean, I know we’re supposed to wait and all, and clearly we aren’t going to meet before then because we live in different countries. But like, what if we went to the same college on purpose.’ He has been thinking about this for a while, working up the courage to ask. 

‘That’s perfect!’ Holster agrees. ‘We’ll have to figure it out ahead of time since I’m two years ahead of you.’ He says. 

‘Yeah, but we have time.’ Ransom agrees. He feels better knowing that they have a plan, knowing that when he’s eighteen he’s going to meet Holster for real. Eight years. He can make it eight years. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘I’m gonna fail!’ Ransom’s panicked voice in his head was not an unusual occurrence for Holster these days. Ransom is fifteen and high school has brought a whole new level of anxiety to him. 

‘Breathe, Rans.’ Holster tells him calmly. ‘Where are you?’  
‘Room’ Ransom manages. 

‘Good.’ Holster agrees. ‘You’re safe, you’re alright, you just need to breathe. In, one two…’ He counts out breaths for Ransom slowly and calmly, breathing with him. 

‘I’m here, Ransom, it’s okay.’ He promises.

‘Thank you.’ Ransom says at last, calming down.

‘Of course, bro.’ Holster says automatically. ‘I’m always here for you.’ 

‘You’re the best.’ Ransom tells him.

‘The best friend ever?’ Holster teases, ‘Yeah I know I am.’

‘Haha, my best friend ever anyway.’ Ransom agrees. 

‘You studying for Chemistry?’ Holster asks. 

‘Yeah.’ Ransom agrees. 

‘Okay, so explain it to me.’ Holster invites. ‘I took chem, but I forgot most of it to be honest.’ He says. They do this sometimes. Teachers always say that the best way to learn something is to teach it, so Holster has Ransom teach him things. Usually Holster doesn’t really follow but it helps Ransom and Holster likes hearing him ramble on about science and things. 

‘So we’re learning about acid base reactions…’ Ransom starts. Holster relaxes into his couch. He’s watching 30 Rock, but he’s seen this episode before, so he’s mostly just listening to Ransom. 

“Adam!” his mother’s voice startles him. 

“What?” He asks, looking up at her. He gets the feeling she had said his name several times. Usually he’s really good about being able to keep track of things in his immediate surroundings while also talking to Ransom, but he does get distracted sometimes. 

“Can you help me with dinner?” She asks. He nods and gets up. 

“Of course.” He agrees. 

‘Holst, you gotta go?’ Ransom asks. 

‘Nah, keep going.’ Holster answers. ‘I’m listening.’

“How’s Ransom?” Holster’s mom asks with a smile. 

“Good, he’s studying for a chem test tomorrow. He’s been going over it all with me.” Holster answers. “It’s crazy how well he understands it all.” He adds. He’s constantly astonished by how brilliant Ransom is. 

“He’s bright, your boy. You’re very lucky, Adam, I hope you know that.”

“Of course I do.” Holster says immediately. 

“But-” His mother continues. “Your boy isn’t everything. You still have a future to worry about.” 

“Mom don’t-”

“You need to start applying to colleges young man.” His mother orders.

“I’m not having this conversation.” Holster tells his mom walking away.

“Adam, be serious!” She shouts after him. He ignores her and shuts himself in his room. He knows he’s being a dick, she’s just worried about him. The thing is, he and Ransom haven’t decided where to go to college yet, and Holster isn’t sure he wants to go and then wait two years to meet Ransom still. He figures it would be better if he could just go to college at the same time as Ransom, just wait two years. Somehow though, he doesn’t think his mom will like that idea. Another thought has been brewing in his mind. A couple recruiters had been after him to play in juniors, and he was starting to think that maybe… maybe that was the answer to his problems. 

‘So I’ve been thinking about college.’ Holster says to Ransom, who has stopped talking about Chemistry for a moment. 

‘Oh, right. I keep forgetting you’re a senior, you need to start applying right?’ Ransom asks. ‘Shit we need to figure out where we’re going.’

‘I thought…’ Holster starts, then hesitates. He takes a deep breath before continuing even though it’s a nonverbal conversation. ‘I thought maybe I wouldn’t go to school just yet actually.’ He says all in a rush. He can tell Ransom is confused. 

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, I’ve talked to a couple recruiters who want me to play in the juniors league. I just thought… I thought I might do that for a couple years and then we can go into college as freshmen together, maybe play for the same team?’ Holster explains nervously.

‘Really?! That’s fantastic, dude!’ Ransom exclaims. 

‘Yeah, but convincing my mom that that’s a good idea is going to suck.’ Holster answers. ‘She’s been on my case about applying to college and everything.’ 

‘Hey, hockey could be your future, from what you tell me anyway.’ Ransom says. ‘If you want to pursue that you should!’

‘I think if she thought this was about hockey she would be on board.’ Holster confesses. ‘But she thinks this is about you, and I think it scares her.’

‘Well, just tell her that it’s about hockey.’ Ransom says. Holster grimaces to himself.

‘But it’s not about hockey, dude. It is about you. We know we’re going to school together, that’s always been the plan. We’re going to college together, we’ll be on the same team, but after that, who knows. You want to be a doctor, I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. We’ll always be us, Ransom and Holster. But outside of college who knows when we will definitely be in the same place.’ Holster says. This is what has been bothering him, it’s sort of terrifying to put into words. ‘Listen, it’s not like I need you to actually be here for you to be my best bro, that’s a given, you’re the most important person in my life...but like, I want to spend as much time actually with you as possible.’ 

‘Bro…’ Ransom says sounding in awe. ‘That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Like. I get it completely. I don’t want ot have just two years with you, four at the least, preferably an eternity and all that but it’s like you said, who knows.’ 

‘Exactly, and like. You seriously are the most important person in my life, and I think making that decision for you is like, simple, but I think it worries my mom. Our parents know we have this thing, they know our soul-connection lets us talk to each other, but I think to them it’s all sort of hypothetical. Basically she knows you are my soulmate and my best friend, but also I think she sees it like I’m making huge life decisions for someone whose name I don’t know.’ Holster says. 

‘Which is ridiculous. We’ve known each other for a decade. You know me better than my own parents do.’ Ransom says, sounding offended. ‘Hell, your family knows me. I help your sisters with homework. Our moms trade recipes.’

‘I know, Rans. My mom is just going to have to deal.’ Holster says, realizing that his decision has been made. He’s going to wait for Ransom. In the end it wasn’t a choice, he knows it’s what he wants. Now he just has to tell his mom that he’s going to play hockey for two year instead of going to college, this was going to go so well.

‘You’ve got this.’ Ransom tells him. 

‘Thanks dude.’ Holster says, eternally grateful for his best friend. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘So Samwell?’ Ransom asks one more time to clarify. 

‘Yup. That’s what we decided. I’ve got my deposit check filled out. I just need to mail it.’ Holster answers.

‘Same. Okay. Let’s go together.’ Ransom agrees. He’s nervous and excited, but the two of them are currently about to confirm their acceptance to the same school. They’re so close. Ransom has survived high school. Holster is out there playing hockey but he’s coming back to school for Ransom. Ransom knows that Holster’s family thought he was being ridiculous, they were seriously worried about him, but Holster acts like this was the only possible course of events. They talk about random things as they both mail their deposits in. 

‘Wanna watch 30 rock?’ Ransom asks, once they get back into their respective rooms.  
‘Yeesss!’ Holster says, sounding relieved. It’s been a stressful few weeks for them both. ‘Season two, episode five.’ Holster declares. 

‘Awesome. Both of them queue up the episode. 

‘Three’

‘Two’

‘One’ They start the episodes in unison. They’ve gotten good at this, they watch things together all the time. They watch together in comfortable silence for a while. Ransom never feels alone when they’re watching something, or reading something at the same time, or… well ever. Even when they aren’t talking Ransom knows that Holster is there, just a thought away. He can’t remember a time when it wasn’t that way. 

‘I don’t really remember life before you.’ He tells Holster. He’s not sure why it seems so significant to say. 

‘Huh… yeah I know what you mean. I mean, I sort of do, but not a whole lot. It’s been thirteen years.’ Holster agrees. ‘What’s on your mind bro?’

‘I’m nervous.’ Ransom says, realizing it only as he tells Holster. ‘I mean, like you know me better than literally anyone. I know you better than anyone… but what if things change? Don’t get me wrong I’m really excited, and I want to meet you for real, but it’s a little terrifying. What if things aren’t good when we actually meet, what if it makes shit weird and we lose this? I don’t know how to live any other way than this.’

‘I know what you mean.’ Holster agrees, making Ransom sigh in relief. ‘It’s kind of terrifying. I’ve thought it too. Like, once we actually meet are we supposed to try to like, interact like normal people? Like are we gonna exchange numbers and pretend we have to get to know each other or some shit?’

‘Why would we need phone numbers?’ Ransom laughs, the idea seems absurd.

‘Exactly!’ Holster agrees, he sounds relieved. ‘But like, I don’t know. Are you sure once you actually meet me it won’t weird you out having me in your head all the time?’ 

‘I just told you I literally don’t know a different way to live. Like I barely remember what “normal” was like. This is my normal.’

‘Oh good, because if I had to stop talking to you like this I would get so bitchy.’ Holster says. 

‘Please god no.’ Ransom teases. Holster does get a little bitchy when he’s upset sometimes.

‘Haha, don’t be a dick.’ Holster says good naturedly. ‘But seriously, Rans. It’s only gonna make shit better. I swear.’ He adds. 

‘Yeah.’ Ransom agrees. Holster is right. It’s only going to get better. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holster had meant what he told Ransom… but as he approached the rink for his first ever practice, the one where he will meet Ransom. He’s legitimately terrified. 

‘Okay, I’m leaving my dorm for the rink now.’ He says in order to keep himself from panicking, because talking to Ransom is how he keeps his head on straight, even if he’s nervous about meeting Ransom. 

‘Same! I’ll see you soon dude!’ Ransom says. He’s a little too manic in a way that Holster knows means he’s nervous too. Holster marches to Faber, trying to focus. He knows what Ransom looks like, they’ve had thirteen years to describe themselves to each other. Still, he worries that he won’t recognize Ransom on sight. What if he ends up looking around the room like an idiot not knowing which guy Ransom is. He gets to Faber early, and waits in the common room thing where they were all told to meet before actual practice starts. 

‘I’m here.’ He tells Ransom. 

‘Almost there.’ Ransom answers. It’s only a minute or so but the seconds between that and when the door opens again feel like an eternity. Then Holster is staring at a dark skinned boy with the most incredible cheekbones he has ever seen, and Ransom is staring back at him in complete shock. They don’t even have to talk, they just both end up running across the room to each other. 

“Ransom!” Holster exclaims, throwing his arms around his soulmate for the first time. 

“Holst!” Ransom says, sounding overwhelmed. “Holy shit, you were not exaggerating when you said you were a bit jacked, were you.” He adds when they take a step back so they can properly look at each other. He’s looking up at Holster. Holster chuckles. 

“Not too bad yourself there bro!” he says, punching Ransom lightly in the arm. Ransom laughs. Holster’s brain feels like it’s short circuited. 

“Holy fuck, your laugh is like one hundred percent more incredible in person.” He says before he can call the words back into his throat. It wouldn’t make any difference, he realizes, they’ve both been projecting mentally as well as verbally. Ransom ducks his head down a little. 

“Shut up.” He mutters, then looks up. “My name’s Justin Oluransi, by the way.” He says.

“Oh fuck! I nearly forgot!” Holster exclaims turning that information over in his head. Justin Oluransi. He supposes Justin is a good name for Ransom. “I’m Adam, Adam Birkholtz.” He answers. 

“Huh… that’s so fucking weird.” Ransom says. 

“Petition to only use our nicknames anyway?” Holster suggests. Ransom nods. 

“Yes!” He agrees instantly. They high five without having to think about it. 

‘This is fantastic!’ Holster thinks, forgetting to speak aloud. 

‘Right?!’ Ransom agrees. A guy from the team comes over to say hello. He’s got long shaggy hair and a truly impressive mustache. 

“You two already knew each other then?” He asks. Ransom and Holster exchange a look.  
“Sorta.” They answer in unison, then grin at each other in surprise. 

“We’re soulmates.” Holster says

“And like, we’ve never actually been in the same room before.” Ransom continues  
“But our soul bond lets us talk.” 

“Like if we focus, we can hear each other in our minds.” 

“So we already knew each other.”

“But we hadn’t met.” 

“We planned this.”

“Coming to the same school.”

“Okay, time to talk one person at a time!” The guy interrupts. Adam realizes that they had been switching off every three words or so. He hadn’t been thinking about it. He and Ransom were basically thinking the same thing, and as long as someone said the words it didn’t seem to matter whose mouth it actually was.

“Whoops, I didn’t even notice we were doing that.” Holster says apologetically. “We were so damn deep in our bond we were basically just talking as one person. It gets a bit confusing sometimes, and that was before we were actually in the same place.” 

“Sorry, Bro.” Ransom says with a sheepish smile. “We’ll figure it out.” He adds. It occurs to Holster that their mental exchange is a lot quicker than actual words. He heard what Ransom was going to say before he said it. They’re both trying for the sake of their teammate though.

“You two have nicknames?” Shitty asks, marvelling at the strength of their bond. 

“They used to call me Birker in juniors, from Birkholtz.” Holster answers. This is true, he hasn’t actually shared the nickname Ransom uses with anyone before. No time like the present. “But I prefer Holster, it’s what Rans calls me.” 

“He says Rans, which is short for Ransom, which is my nickname. Oluransi, you know?” Ransom interjects. Mustache man nods.

“Good, so from now on, you two are Ransom and Holster.” He says, pointing to each of them as he names them. “I am Shitty Knight.” 

“And I’m Lardo, Larissa Duan that is, Team manager.” A tiny yet intimidating girl has appeared at Shitty’s side. 

“I have the honor of being Lardo’s soulmate.” Shitty says proudly. “Come meet everyone else.” He drags them off to introduce them to the team. Holster can’t help the silent running conversation he has with Ransom as they meet everyone. 

‘Is this rude?’ He asks. 

‘I don’t know, maybe?’ Ransom answers at the same time he’s saying something to Johnson.

“You guys aren’t being rude.” Johnson says. They both stare at him. 

“Can you read minds?” Holster asks. Johnson laughs.

“Nah, man, but I’m like outside of the narrative, so I know what you were saying to each other.” He answers. “Listen Brahs, I can only say this. You guys are bound so tight that thinking to each other is basically the same as thinking to yourselves, which is awesome. But it’s also going to be your biggest problem, you’re too close to this to see the big picture, you know each other too well to see potential dynamic shifts, know what I mean?” He asks smiling like he’s making perfect sense. 

“No.” Ransom says looking at Holster who shakes his head. 

“Yeah, nope, no idea what you’re saying.” He agrees. Johnson just shrugs it off.

“No worries, you’ll get it by the end of this story.” Johnson promises. “This author-”

“John no traumatizing the Freshmen!” Shitty exclaims, cutting him off, as he appears at their side. He pulls Ransom and Holster aside. 

“I am so sorry, he’s really fucking weird.” Shitty tells them. “Like, so for my soul connection I see auras basically, everyone has a color. You two have this beautiful fucking twilight blue, by the way, but John Johnson he’s got nothing. Nada. He is literally a void, I have never seen a living thing that didn’t have an aura before.” Shitty looks genuinely upset by it. 

“Weird.” Holster says. 

“Yeah, come on, let’s hit the ice.” Shitty says. Ransom and Holster follow him to the locker room enthusiastically. It’s something else to see Ransom wearing the same uniform as him. Holster has never been happier in his life. 

From the moment they hit the ice Holster knows that they are going to be incredible. He had a decent d-man partner in juniors but they weren’t anything unique. This… this is easier than breathing. Holster always knows exactly where Ransom is, exactly where to send the puck. Some of it is just them telling each other where to be, what they’re going to do next, thinking as one person, but the rest is… the rest is pure instinct. 

“Bro!” Ransom exclaims as they skate off together after practice ends. Holster high fives him. 

“That was fucking incredible.” Holster says. Ransom nods enthusiastically. They leave together to get food. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing Ransom does after practice is grab his bag and turn to Holster. 

“We’re going back to your dorm.” He says flatly. 

“Okay, why?” Holster says, automatically ready to go along with whatever Ransom says. Ransom grins and reaches into his bag. He holds out a basket tray thing which had clamps to attach to a bedframe

“Because I am attaching this to your bed, right now.” He declares. “And you will put your glasses there and only there every single night.” He adds firmly, grinning. Starting something like five years earlier Ransom had finally gotten sick of Holster forgetting where he put his glasses the night before, every single day. He had started asking every night, ‘Where did you put your glasses?’ And he reminded him every single morning. 

Holster laughs. His laugh is so much fuller when Ransom can hear him. Ransom can’t help thinking that he wants to dedicate his life to making Holster laugh as frequently as possible. He realizes now that he can do that. That is actually his job now, he’s Holster’s soulmate. 

“But then I won’t have an excuse to to talk to you every morning.” Holster teases. 

“I swear if you have been ‘Misplacing’ your glasses nearly every day for over a decade just-” Ransom starts. 

“Nah, dude I really am that forgetful.” Holster laughs. “Thank you seriously, for reminding me all the time, and for this.” He says. 

“Of course. I am going to to remind you every night until it’s a proper habit for you to put your glasses in that basket.” Ransom tells him.

“Sounds like a plan.” Holster agrees. 

It’s so damn easy to be around Holster. Ransom had known that it would be good but somehow he is still surprised by it. He keeps forgetting to actually speak aloud, but so does Holster. Still, it’s somehow not weird having Holster there. Within days it almost seems weird that for all those years Holster wasn’t there, that this huge blond boy hasn’t always been at his side. Ransom spends more time than is probably reasonable watching Holster’s face, watching him talk, watching him react to things. He wants to know what Holster looks like when they talk, he wants to remember all their exchanges in the past and figure out exactly what expression had been on Holster’s face at the time. Ransom had promised himself that he was going to be cool about this, but in the end he gives in and makes a spreadsheet, cataloging it all. That would be fine, except he and Holster are inseparable these days, so Holster inevitable glances at his computer screen one day and see the stupid excel sheet. 

“What is that?” He asks curiously. 

“Nothing.” Ransom tries. Holster just raises an eyebrow at him. 

“You have literally never successfully lied to me in your life.” He reminds Ransom. 

“It’s an excel spreadsheet.” Ransom says, snapping his computer shut. 

“Of what? Come on, bro, we don’t keep secrets from each other.” Holster says. 

“Of you.” Ransom admits, grudgingly. He can’t lie to Holster and Holster is right, he can’t keep secrets from him either. “I was cataloging your expressions and mannerisms and the instances in which they occurred. I know that’s creepy, and weird, which is why I didn’t tell you… I just, I was curious because I spent so long not able to see you and now I can and I wanted to know what you would have been like when we were talking and I couldn’t see you. I just. I want to know everything about you, so yeah, this happened.” He explains staring down at his laptop. Holster is staring at him wordlessly. Ransom wishes he was better at reading Holster’s expressions, but it’s only been two weeks and he is still working on it. 

“I’m sorry, it’s weird. I’ll delete it.” Ransom says before Holster can respond. That triggers a response though. Holster’s eyes flash and his hand darts towards the laptop as if to protect it.

“Don’t you dare.” He insists. “Rans, that’s like, the cutest thing ever. You’re trying to learn everything about me. You’re studying like you’re studying for a test, you take this that seriously. You’re so fucking incredible.” He shakes his head, the awe in his voice clear now. 

“Really?” Ransom asks. “You don’t think it’s creepy?”

“No, it’s so very you. Not normal maybe, but not creepy. Shit like this, like buying me a tray for my glasses, like memorizing hockey stats, it’s why I love you.” 

Ransom is so relieved to hear that Holster is not freaked out by it that he doesn’t realize what he had said. Ransom has never heard Holster say I love you before, and he doesn’t notice until later that night. 

‘You told me you loved me.’ He says, alarmed. 

‘Yeah, we’ve told each other we love each other like a million times.’ Holster responds. 

‘Not aloud.’ Ransom points out. ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you said it.’

‘Oh…’ Holster murmurs. ‘I didn’t even think about it.’

‘Me neither, and I guess it doesn’t really matter, I just. I feel like I should have savored the moment you know?’

‘It’s fine dude, it’s fine.’ Holster assures him. ‘We’ve got the rest of our lives right?’  
‘Right.’ Ransom agrees. 

Still, the next day the first thing Ransom does is hug his soulmate.

“I love you so much.” He says firmly.

“I love you too, bro.” Holster answers. Ransom feels warm and safe hearing those words. He is so glad that Holster is his soulmate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holster had promised Ransom that the two of them meeting face to face would only bring positive, and it wouldn’t change them. He’s starting to regret that. The thing was, when. He had said those things before he knew how goddamn beautiful he was. It was before he knew that Ransom’s smile made a room light up, and his laugh makes Holster’s heart melt inside his chest. He had said nothing would change before he knew what it felt like to hear Ransom’s voice saying ‘I love you.’ Holster knows that Ransom means it in a platonic way, they’ve been saying it that way since they were kids. He knows that it shouldn’t be anything different now, but it makes his chest tighten and his stomach flip. The problem is, Holster is pretty sure he’s falling for his best friend. It’s a problem.

He wished he could talk to someone about this, but the problem was that he would usually talk to Ransom about this type of thing. He cannot tell Ransom about this. That is the very last thing that he could possibly do. Ransom is his entire world, and Holster cannot afford to lose him, not over this, not when he has no idea what this is. Holster cannot deny that he’s attracted to Ransom, that much is abundantly clear. He also knows that he loves Ransom desperately, more than anyone else. Between the two things Holster can’t figure out whether he loves Ransom platonically, and is also attracted to him, or if he loves him romantically as well (and is also attracted to him, since Shitty had pointed out that romantic feelings and attraction do not always go hand in hand). Holster has no idea what exactly is going on, but he knows that he cannot let this change anything. 

He makes it to the end of their freshmen year through straight up denial. He decides that this is just a temporary problem, just a temporary physical attraction confusing the platonic love he has for his best friend in the whole world. Then all of a sudden they’re finishing finals and Holster realizes that they’re going to have to leave Samwell, leave each other.

“I’m going to miss you so much.” Ransom breathes quietly one day shortly before they have to leave for the summer. They are curled up on Holster’s dorm bed watching 30 Rock. Holster has realized that watching shows with Ransom, when he was actually physically there was so much better. Holster is never happier than when he’s curled up against Ransom’s side, warm and comfortable. 

“I am going to miss you too.” Holster agrees. “Like, I thought we were good before you know? Having you in my head, and all that. It was good but now…” He shakes his head. 

“I know what you mean bro,” Ransom agrees. “This is so much better, going back to the way things were before won’t be easy.” 

“No, it won’t but we’re going to get through this.” Holster says. “We’ll skype, and we can talk all the time.” 

“I know, but still… I don’t think I can make it all the way to next year.” Ransom admits. Holster chuckles. 

“Me neither.” He says, relieved. “We should meet up at some point. How about fourth of July?” 

“I don’t do fourth of July, I’m Canadian.” Ransom points out. 

“Fair enough, I don’t give a shit. But like, we can like meet halfway between us?” Holster suggests.

“Niagara falls?” Ransom suggests eyes alight. 

“NIAGARA FALLS!” Holster agrees. “Dude, we have to meet up there. It will be like, perfect.” The two of them both loved the place dearly, and visited it frequently. They had had several near misses in which they were nearly there at the same time, but they had never quite managed it, despite much begging and pleading with their parents. 

“Agreed.” Ransom says. “We’ll meet up at Niagara falls for fourth of July.” Holster grins, feeling better. Just knowing that he won’t have to go through all of summer break without Ransom makes the months ahead seem much less bleak. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It takes being forced to leave Holster and go home to make Ransom figure it out. He had thought that he and Holster had spoken a lot before, but it had as it became evident, been nothing in comparison to now. It takes his parents getting increasingly frustrated with the fact that every conversation they have is also shared with Holster. It takes his mom greeting him one morning saying.

“Good morning, Justin. Good morning Adam.” 

“Morning Mum. Holster says morning too.” Ransom replies brightly. His mother sighs. 

“Seriously?” She asks. 

“What?” Ransom asks. 

“Are you ever not talking to that boy in your head?” She demands. Ransom thinks about it. 

‘Are we ever not talking?’ He asks Holster, actually thinking about it.

‘Not really.’ Holster admits, and Ransom can almost see the expression on his face, thoughtful, amused, and slightly guilty. 

“No, we’re pretty much always talking.” Ransom tells his mother. 

“And you never get sick of him?” She asks. “Ever?” 

“No.” Ransom answers honestly. “Holster’s the best. I love him to death. Hell, I miss him.” 

“You are a lucky boy.” His mother says with a smile. “To love someone so strongly, to get along so well. You are lucky that this is the man you’ll spend the rest of your life with.” 

“Yeah I really am.” Ransom agrees. He thinks about Holster who he misses desperately, and who he loves more than life itself. He thinks about how he misses the nights when they would accidentally fall asleep together. He thinks about how he wants to spend every second possible with Holster. He thinks about how hearing Holster laugh is the best thing in his life, and nothing makes a day better than getting to make Holster smile. 

“I am in love with him.” He says suddenly, looking up at his mother. 

“I thought that was abundantly clear already.” His mother agrees, rolling her eyes.

“No! Like I’ve always known I love him, but I am in love with him. Like marriage, cheesy rom-com, adopt a few kids and a dog style love him.” Ransom explains.

“Yes…” His mother is looking at him like she’s worried for his mental health. 

“Wait, do you think that Holster and I are a couple?” Ransom demands. 

“Aren’t you?” She asks. 

“No. We aren’t. I… I gotta go.” Ransom says, heading upstairs.

‘Holst, can we skype?’ he asks. He is scarily close to panic attack levels of anxiety right now and even if this is about Holster he knows that seeing Holster’s face is the best way to calm down. 

‘Yeah, no problem.’ Holster agrees. ‘It’s alright, Ransom. Whatever’s going on, it’s going to be okay. Just breathe.’ He adds as they’re both pulling up skype.

“Hey.” Ransom manages to say as soon as he sees Holster. 

“Hey,” Holster says gently. “It’s great to see your face again.” He murmurs. Ransom nods wordlessly. 

“It’s okay, Rans.” Holster assures him, breathing slowly so that Ransom can match his breaths. “I’m here for you, I love you.” They sit in silence for a while, drinking in each other’s presence and breathing slowly and carefully. After a long period of time Ransom takes a deep breath. 

“Have you ever thought about what exactly we are to each other?” He asks quickly. Holster looks surprised. His face flashes through shock, worry, and then to hope. 

“I might have.” Holster admits. “You’re my best friend, but… we could maybe be something past that… if you wanted. I mean… we’re soulmates and I guess I’m not entirely positive that it’s… platonic.” He says in fits and starts.

“I- really?” Ransom asks hopefully. “Only I was thinking and… I think we might be a lot less platonic than I originally thought.” 

“Cool, cool….” Holster says nervously, fingers tapping rapidly on his laptop next to his touchpad. 

“Sorry I didn’t mean to make things awkward I just-” Ransom starts, chest clenching tight again. 

“No!” Holster exclaims, “I was just thinking about what we can do. Only it’s kinda hard to start… anything. When we’re not together.” He adds, blushing. Ransom can’t help the grin.

“Well I’m sure we could start something.” He says pointedly just to make Holster turn a proper shade of brilliant red. 

“Jesus, Rans are you trying to kill me?” Holster demands. Ransom laughs. 

“It’s only a week to the fourth.” He points out. “Figure it out then?” 

“Yeah.” Holster agrees. “Good plan.” 

“Cool.” Ransom says, staring at Holster and coming to the realization that this was going to be the longest week of his entire life. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Holster is going to die before he reaches Niagara Falls. Everything between him and Ransom has become tense, not in a negative way but in one that makes silences heavier and words more carefully considered before being said. They are dancing around this, trying to avoid it, except it’s always on the surface. Ransom’s chirps are starting to sound a lot more like flirting, and Holster can’t help but give as good as he gets. The strange part is how very close to normal it is. Holster realizes now that it isn’t that this is too close to platonic, but that their relationship before had always been too close to this, the chirping had basically always been flirting, the compliments always meant in a sincerely non-platonic way. 

Holster is pretty sure that all of this is going to make him vibrate out of his skin with excitement and nerves before they can figure their shit out. Somehow though, he survives the week and finds himself sitting in their hotel room, waiting for Ransom. He had checked them in and dropped his stuff in the room on one of the queen beds and sat down. He’s staring at his hands, so nervous that he doesn’t even hear the door open. He doesn’t look up until he hears Ransom’s voice.

“Holster?” He asks. 

“Ransom!” He exclaims suddenly on his feet. Ransom drops his bag and they both stare at each other for a long moment.

‘What now?’ Ransom asks silently. 

‘I don’t know.’ Holster answers. ‘I don’t want to fuck this up… but I really want to kiss you.’ He confesses. Ransom grins and then they are both moving at the same time. They crash together in a bruising desperate kiss. This, Holster realizes, is everything that he’s been missing for his entire life. He wraps his arms tight around Ransom, deepening the kiss. Ransom snakes his arms up around Holster’s neck burying one of them in Holster’s hair. They’re both clinging to each other, trying to pull each other closer even though their whole bodies are pressed together. Holster doesn’t realize that he’s pressing Ransom backwards until they hit the wall. Holster lets his hands slip lower and hoists Ransom up as he presses him into the wall. Ransom moans slightly wrapping his legs around Holster, relying on him entirely to stay up. Holster moves to trace a line of kisses down Ransom’s neck. 

“Jesus fuck, Holster.” Ransom moans. Holster just latches his hands under Ransom’s thighs and carries him to the nearest bed.

“God I love you.” Holster breathes, holding himself above Ransom carefully. 

“I love you too.” Ransom answers before pulling Holster back down to kiss him again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a good weekend. It was the best weekend. The two of them spent a long time figuring out how they worked together. They caught up on a lot of missed time together. They discovered just how useful it was to be able to talk to each other, even when their mouths were otherwise occupied. They even, for a little bit, managed to find some time to go see the falls.

“How am I supposed to leave you again?” Ransom asks Holster. They were curled together in bed on their last night at the falls. Ransom loves this boy so much, and he can’t imagine giving this up again for any length of time. At the moment he cannot even imagine prying himself away from his naked boyfriend to get out of bed.

“We’ll get through this together, Love.” Holster promises warmly. “Because the summer will be over soon enough, and then we’re moving into the Haus together.” 

“Yeah.” Ransom agrees, smiling, and leaning over to kiss Holster on the cheek, and then since he’s there, on the nose and on the forehead. It makes Holster blush bright red and giggle slightly. Ransom loves that he can make this huge hockey bro of his giggle and blush.

“You are so cute.” Ransom chuckles. Holster turned to bury his face in the crook of Ransom’s neck.

“Stop.” He mutters but he presses a kiss over Ransom’s pulse, and Ransom can feel him smiling. “I am so glad I get to spend the rest of my life with you.” 

“I know just what you mean.” Ransom agrees. They have the rest of their lives to spend together, and just thinking about it warms his chest. 

“So… are we telling the team?” Holster asks quietly. Ransom thinks about it quietly.

“Hmm… I feel like half of them might think we’re together anyway.” He says. “We’re just going to make fools of ourselves if we try to make an announcement out of it.” 

“True, true.” Holster agrees. He turns to kiss Ransom’s cheek and all over his face. Ransom blushes and curls up a little before retaliating. It devolves into both of them covering each other in soft light kisses, blushing and laughing and just losing themselves in being together. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As it turns out the team takes a very long time to figure out what’s going on between them. They appear to think everything is platonic for a very long time. As a matter of fact it takes until Bitty decides to come out to the team. 

“Before anyone says anything, I’ll remind you that if anyone says or does anything remotely homophobic, I will get you kicked off the team.” Shitty declares, staring at them seriously. Bitty looks at him, looking torn between being grateful and being exasperated.  
“Why on earth would we say anything homophobic?” Holster asks. 

“Well, this is a hockey team, and while we are at Samwell, you can never really know. And hockey has a long history of toxic masculinity.” Shitty answers. 

“What do you mean you never know?” Ransom asks. “It’s not like anyone’s ever given Holster and I any shit.” 

“Yeah, but you two are platonic.” Bitty says softly. “Even though you are soulmates.” Ransom and Holster exchange a surprised look.

‘Do they seriously…?’ Holster demands.

‘I think they might…’ Ransom agrees.

“You guys do know that Ransom and I have been dating for like a year right?” Holster asks slowly. The rest of the team stares at them in shock. 

“What?” Shitty asks flatly. 

“You guys call each other bro, and dude way more than anyone I have ever seen.” Bitty says, looking legitimately offended by this. It makes Holster laugh. 

“Yeah, so?” He asks. “We’ve been friends for fifteen years, it’s what we’ve always called each other, hard habit to break.” 

“But… what?” Shitty says again. 

“We got together last summer, when we met up at Niagara Falls.” Ransom explains. “I can’t believe it took us that long honestly.”

“Right?” Holster agrees, grinning. “Like, we were so ridiculously in love with each other all of Freshmen year, just like waiting.” Ransom grins at him affectionately. 

“I just… I cannot believe this.” Shitty says.

“I mean, it makes a load of sense, if you think about it.” Lardo points out gently. 

“I cannot believe that you two got your shit together before Lardo and I! And you didn’t even tell me!” Shitty exclaims.

“Sorry?” Holster tries. 

“We assumed you knew.” Ransom adds.

“Well, Lordy. I guess I’m not the only one on the team then.” Bitty says with a smile.

“Actually, we’re both Bi.” Holster points out. “But yeah, homosexual relationship for the rest of our lives which is good.” Ransom smiles at him. Holster can’t help grinning back. Every time he remembers that they have the rest of their lives to spend together he feels like he could fly. 

‘Okay, so maybe we should have told them.’ Holster admits. Ransom rolls his eyes.

‘Maybe.’ He agrees, laughing internally. 

‘Well, we’ll just have to be more disgustingly in love then.’ Holster says suggestively. 

‘I think we can manage that.’ Ransom answers, coming to his side. Holster pulls him into his arms. 

“Oh just let it go.” He hears Lardo say in the background. “Once they start talking to each other like that it’s impossible to get through to them.” Holster barely hears her but appreciates the sentiment. He smiles at Lardo over Ransom’s shoulder, before pulling his boyfriend, his soulmate, back up into their room.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so sorry the rating went up to Mature on this one but it got a little more... intense than I originally intended when they got to Niagara Falls. I don't usually write smut but I was damn tempted right there I've gotta say. 
> 
> Anyway, I need ideas for Famer/Chowder's connection, so if you've got any let me know. I've started writing Dex/Nursey already so expect that by next weekend! Also I have gotten a request for Patater in this verse is anyone else up for that? I'm not a hardcore Patater Shipper but I'm more than happy to write it for y'all if you want (I have plans for those two...) 
> 
> So yeah, thanks for reading, and let me know if you have ideas for Chamer, or want Patater, or just to tell me what you thought!


End file.
